Wednesday, December 2, 2009

It is one of my biggest disappointments not to have lived in the era of swishy starched petticoats and nipped in waists, all those fabulous dresses and elegant styles influenced by Christian Dior's New Look. Oh I can see it now- a divine floral frock, an elegant gloved hand and a long black cigarette holder as I took my seat in a Lyon's Tea Room. Wouldn't that be heaven?
Unfortunately I was born too late for the age of glamour and whilst I know there are distinct advantages to this day and age (having all my fave songs on one teeny tiny rectangle is a marvel!) if a time machine were to suddenly appear in the back garden; I know where I would be headed, waving my raspberry velvet hat as I went.
One of my absolute favourite things is discovering a new vintage clothing website, sighing over all the jewels that lie within, I dream about which ones I would snap up and where one could wear them . I was overwhelmed with all the stunners found on Vava Vintage , she certainly has found some beauties!

Isn't this one a dream? Adore the wonderful blousy roses print and the sage green cummerband sash. Even more splendid by seeing the original adverts.. Oh to be a Lady of the Rosebuds.

Would make a perfect wedding dress for an 50/ 60's style garden wedding. In this original picture you can see that distinctive shape of the skirt.. along with the model's doe-eyed expression- it's so 60's isn't it!
Top of the wish list, please!
Would love to waft around sipping tea in this frilly number also.. so many beautiful dresses- so little time.

The print is just so charming and summery

Golly, a girl would need a team of husbands to wear all these super cute numbers.

And not to mention all the fabby party dresses, where did I put my chequebook..

Would it be greedy to want them all?

All found on Va Va Vintage- go feast your eyes and tell me your favourite.
And if you happen to purchase one- do let me know so I can drool over the lovely dress with you.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Well yes I know at the Golden Afternoon Tea Company, we are the epitome of all things delightful and English tea and crumpets, of course we are! But we couldn't not wish all our friends across the pond and those far from home over here now a very happy thanksgiving now, could we?

And if we didn't have those yankee- doodles to thank, we wouldn't have such wonderful things as

MGM musicals, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, amazingly stylish 50's cars, rock n roll, red velvet cakes and cupcakes(would we still be calling them fairy cakes?!) and oo so many things to make life more fun,glamorous and cooooool!

So in honor of that ( lookee I even spelled it the American way for the occasion!) here is the recipe for Pumpkin and Walnut cupcakes, I promised in this post.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Have a look at this darling White Rabbit necklace that the very clever Janine has created and is giving away over on her blog Cherished Trinkets, pop over and leave your comment and it could be yours. Isn't that a wonderful way to start the weekend?

Adorable, non?

And would look perfect with a waistcoat and jaunty hat- one could gaze admiringly at it in until you get a proper pocket watch.. Oh no! I have a sudden compulsion for one of those as well!

I am almost as bad as the White Rabbit when it comes to timekeeping, it just seems to slip away from me like a melting Dali Clock.. perhaps this would make all the difference!

Well before I get too distracted by watches and top hats too much, where were we.. oh yes..

Janine's site is such a dreamy place to while away the time , we share a love of vintage bobbins, Alice and pygmy hedgehogs!! I am so green- she's getting a pygmy hedgehog!! I have been asking The Chap if we can get one for months now..maybe Santa will bring me one in my stocking! Look at this snuffly little thing. I would call it Mrs Tiggywinkle. She's already in a teacup, ready for me!

Cherished Trinkets can also be found on Etsy and lovely pictures of her work on flickr

Hurrah- we love pretty things.

Am brimming with excitement as work starts on the Golden Afternoon Tea Company website this week, much as I love our holding page - can't wait to create some magical graphics with my super talented designers. Inspiration will be helped with lots of tea and cake, no doubt!

I also have a mammoth bake-athon ahead of me. Will be made even more fun by my current obsession with this band and renewing my love for this smooth fella..

Do you find music whilst you bake helps the cakes? I think it fills them with all the good things.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Preheat oven to 180°/Gas 4Beat together eggs and sugarMelt the butter, pour in the milk and add to egg mixtureMix together the flour, salt and baking powder, fold into mixtureAdd lemon juice, zest and poppy seedsSpoon mixture into muffin casesBake in middle of oven for 15 minutesLeave to cool Make the frosting by mixing the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and zest until creamySmooth frosting over cupcakes and sprinkle with poppy seeds and lemon zest

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Ideally a cake should both look and taste a treat and when applying this to tea you can really not go amiss with tea from teapigs which are beautifully packaged and absolutely delicious. Both Lula and I love their peppermint tea, and I am tempted to taste their chocolate flake tea and perhaps even the chilli chai.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Last sunday was Memorial Sunday, a day when we remember the huge sacrifice made by so many so that those who would come after could live lives of freedom and liberty. And it was not just the soldiers fighting on the front that we remember but those that stayed behind and whose day to day life would be full of small sacrifices in order to keep the spirit strong.

As seen in this American poster, showing how holding onto your chipped teacups was even patriotic and had the 'nation's welfare at heart'!

( Do click on it to read the text, I can't seem to size it properly!)

I guess we could learn a little something from these words in our thrifty times and besides, I know that this Tea Maid has cupboards of imperfect bowls and plates I can't bear to throw out! My Chap can't understand it but now I shall just say I'm following the example of the 'Patriotic Mrs Jones' as I add another slightly chipped saucer to the collection!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

So following on from Ingrid's question after this post, it set me pondering on what time is the correct and proper time to partake of a cup of tea, a cucmber sandwich and a slice of cake..

As the Golden Afternoon Tea Company prize ourselves on being proper in the most English of ways we had to find out,and donning our best Sherlock Holmes deerstalker hat and popping a musty pipe in between our pearlie whites we went off to investigate....

The 7th Duchess of Bedford, Anna Marie Stanhope is credited with inventing the ritual of Afternoon Tea in the early 19th century, 1841 to be precise, in order to avoid that 'sinking feeling' in the late afternoon! The peckish Duchess summoned her butler to bring her tea and light refreshments to her boudoir and soon was gathering all the other Duchesses and Marquises and Ladies to join her in a nibble, and la-dee -daa, the Afternoon Tea was born!

Etiquette suggests that tea should be served between 4 o'clock and 5, but I am really of the same opinion as the Mad Hatter who believes it's always tea time.

A bright idea came into Alice's head. `Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out here?' she asked.

`Yes, that's it,' said the Hatter with a sigh: `it's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.'

And as Henry James put it:
'There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.'

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Well Halloween has spooked it's way back into the night and it was all so quiet round our way..hardly a ghoul or a ghost to terrify us in exchange for some sweet treats and goodies, well we did have an adorable black cat and a what looked like a squished tomato! But the pumpkins were finely turned out on the doorstep casting their ooky glow, and I made some darn fine cupcakes with their insides.

Recipe to follow later

Even the pooch was admiring the pumpkins.

So even though we're a bit late for this years halloween decorations, I have been all a buzz thinking of vintage style decorations with a few pumpkins and gourds.

Lina and I were at a wedding yesterday, a bright and clear Saturday, and they were filled with russet and rich red berries and flowers.

Well I guess it's high time I introduced myself! I'll just pour myself a cup of tea and then we can sit down for a little natter.....

I'm Lina, a good friend of the lovely Lula and her partner in, well cake mixture! But we share a love of so many things from pretty vintage nik-naks found at car boot sales, to reams of pastel pink polka-dotted fabrics and a penchant for dressing up and dancing!

With my first wedding anniversary just passed, and amidst a tide of weddings and engagement announcements, it seems appropriate to tell the story of mine and Lula's meeting, whilst we were both ensconced in our own wedding plans. For those of you who are married or on the wedding path and have experienced the creative flow of wedding flavoured juices will know a friend or two, to bounce off the hundreds of ideas are worth their weight in gold. And Lula was a true find, sharing the excitement, the highs and the lows plus having the most jaw-droppingly beautiful vintage afternoon tea wedding garden party this side of 1950, for inspiration mid-way through my planning.

Picture perfect: A shot from Lula's wedding afternoon tea

And now that our weddings have long since passed, well the joy and finger tapping excitement that the words 'wedding planning' bring us is still as strong, but we can now share in our friends’ happiness, as they make their journey towards wedded bliss and look back on fond memories and the friendship our weddings forged.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Have a peek at these clever people at Free Tea Party, they drive a tea bus around America and serve free cups of tea bringing good cheer to the people of California, making the world a better place through drinking tea and building a spirit of community and wellbeing. Wonderfully hippy!

Of course, we at the GATC are already aware that tea parties make everyone happy and bright, now we just need a bus and the road trips could begin!